Feasibility of non-invasive measurement of central blood pressure and arterial stiffness in shock.

BACKGROUND: Patients in haemodynamic shock are in need for an intensive care treatment. Invasive haemodynamic monitoring is state of the art for these patients. However, evolved, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring devices offer advanced functions like the assessment of central blood pressure and arterial stiffness. We analysed the feasibility of two oscillometric blood pressure devices in patients with shock. METHODS: We performed a monocentre prospective study, enrolling 57 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), due to septic and/or cardiogenic shock. We assessed invasive and non-invasive peripheral and central blood pressure <24 hours and 48 hours after admission on the ICU. Additional haemodynamic parameters such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation pressure and augmentation index were obtained through Mobil-o-Graph PWA (IEM) and SphygmoCor XCEL (AtCor Medical). RESULTS: A complete haemodynamic assessment was successful in all patients (48) with the Mobil-o-Graph 24 hours PWA and in 29 patients with the SphygmoCor XCEL (P = .001), when cases of death or device malfunction were excluded. Reasons for failure were severe peripheral artery disease, haemodynamic instability, oedema and agitation. Invasive blood pressure showed a sufficient correlation with both devices; however, large differences between invasive and non-invasive techniques were recorded in Bland-Altmann analysis (P < .05 for all parameters). PWV differed between the two devices. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive peripheral blood pressure measurement remains a rescue technique. However, non-invasive assessment of arterial stiffness and central blood pressure is possible in patients with septic or cardiogenic shock. Further studies are required to assess their clinical significance for patients in shock.

[Hair cortisol as chronic stress parameter in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction]. / Haarkortisol als chronischer Stressparameter bei Patienten mit akutem ST-Strecken-Hebungs-Infarkt.

INTRODUCTION: Stress is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. New analytical methods enable the determination of cortisol concentrations in hair (HCC) as a retrospective long-term parameter for chronic stress. So far, it is still uncertain whether stress objectively measured by an increase in HCC might be a predictive factor associated with the development of an acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Included in this study were 40 patients with an acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), confirmed by electrocardiography (ECG). The control group consisted of 80 patients without coronary artery disease (CAD). RESULTS: Patients with STEMI did not show significantly higher HCCs (p = 0.846) compared to the control group and there was no correlation with the extent of myocardial infarction (p = 0.701, r = 0.038). Correlations were found between HCC, diabetes mellitus (p = 0.046, odds ratio, OR = 6.346), low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration (p = 0.107) and glycated hemoglobin A (HbA1c) concentration (p = 0.083, r = 0.236). Furthermore, there was an association between an increased HCC and chronic heart failure (p = 0.110) and an association to the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) concentration (p = 0.005, r = 0.293). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction did not have significantly higher levels of hair cortisol compared to the reference group; however, long-term metabolic changes as well as advanced chronic heart failure appear to be long-acting stress factors for the organism and increase cortisol levels in hair.

Blue toe syndrome caused by emboli from anomalous left atrial septal pouch thrombus: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial septal pouches (LASPs) are a relatively newly described but common anatomical cardiac variant thought to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and cardio-embolic stroke. Blue toe syndrome (BTS) describes ischemic changes in the toes due to microembolisation of the digital arteries. Establishing the etiology of BTS is vital so that the underlying cause can be treated. Here we describe the first case of BTS arising due to emboli from LASP thrombus arising on a background of new-onset AF. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old man presented with a two-day history of progressive painful swelling and bluish-purple discoloration of the second and fourth toes of his left foot and new-onset AF. Tests for hypercoagulability disorders were negative. Duplex ultrasound and CT angiography excluded deep venous thrombosis and an absence of embolus, thrombus, or occlusion in the arterial tree in the lower extremities bilaterally, so BTS was diagnosed. While transthoracic echocardiography and chest CT initially showed no cardiac abnormalities or mural thrombus, subsequent transesophageal echocardiography revealed a LASP with an associated pedunculated thrombus. The affected toes were amputated due to wet gangrene, but the patient recovered well with thrombus resolution after anticoagulation. CONCLUSION: The presence of a LASP in the absence of any other identifiable cause of BTS should trigger careful investigation of the interatrial septum, preferably using a multimodality imaging approach. The possibility that LASPs may not merely be an innocent bystander but a causative mechanism for peripheral ischemia must be considered.

Anomalous right coronary artery with interarterial course depicting an unusual case of an electrical storm: a case presentation.

BACKGROUND: The condition of anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (AAORCA) with an interarterial course leads to few, if any, clinical problems. Malignant presentation of the often non-significant AAORCA associated with conduction system abnormalities is a rare finding. Surgical repair, even for highly symptomatic patients, is still controversial. However, in this case, the surgery brought a paradigm shift in treatment modality, improving the symptoms of this patient. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 52-year-old man with severe chest pain and recurrent electrical storms with an implanted cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) device. Coronary angiography and computed tomography (CT) revealed the rare anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (AAORCA) with a high interarterial course between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk. As symptoms typically develop on exertion, placing the patient at an increased risk of ischemic distress, a stress myocardial perfusion imaging study helped to identify his high-risk status. Although patient-specific, a surgical repair was the only concrete step agreed upon after multiple collaborative discussions with the cardiac surgeons. Surgery significantly improved the symptoms, with the patient reporting resolution of his chest pain, as well as no documented inappropriate defibrillator activity on follow-up appointments. CONCLUSION: One purpose of reporting the case study was to underscore the risk factors associated with AAORCA, challenging claims of its benign nature. This case complements existing findings demonstrating that ischemic distress consequent to the right coronary artery (RCA) compression may precede the rare incidence of an electrical storm. Importantly, the case-study emphasizes the significance of integrated multimodality imaging in clinical practice as well as providing real-world evidence for the efficacy of surgical repair in highly symptomatic patients with AAORCA with an interarterial course.

Early-Onset Pneumonia in Non-Traumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients with Special Focus on Prehospital Airway Management.

BACKGROUND More than half of all non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients die in the hospital. Early-onset pneumonia (EOP) has been described as one of the most common complications after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the expanded use of alternative airway devices (AAD) might influence the incidence of EOP following OHCA. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed data from all OHCA patients admitted to our hospital between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2014. EOP was defined as proof of the presence of a pathogenic microorganism in samples of respiratory secretions within the first 5 days after hospital admission. RESULTS There were 252 patients admitted: 155 men (61.5%) and 97 women (38.5%), with a mean age of 69.1±13.8 years. Of these, 164 patients (77.6%) were admitted with an endotracheal tube (ET) and 62 (27.4%) with an AAD. We found that 36 out of a total of 80 respiratory secretion samples (45.0%) contained pathogenic microorganisms, with Staphylococcus aureus as the most common bacteria. Neither bacterial detection (p=0.765) nor survival rates (p=0.538) differed between patients admitted with ET and those with AAD. CONCLUSIONS Irrespective of increasing use of AAD, the incidence of EOP remains high.

Hyperoxia Early After Hospital Admission in Comatose Patients with Non-Traumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND The clinical effect of hyperoxia in patients with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains uncertain. We therefore initiated this study to find out whether there is an association between survival and hyperoxia early after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in OHCA patients admitted to our hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS All OHCA patients admitted to our hospital between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2015 were identified by analysis of our central admission register. Data from individual patients were collected from patient health records and anonymously stored on a central database. RESULTS Altogether, there were 280 OHCA patients admitted to our hospital between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2015, including 35 patients (12.5%) with hyperoxia and 99 patients (35.4%) with normoxia. Comparison of these 2 groups showed lower pH values in OHCA patients admitted with normoxia compared to those with hyperoxia (7.10±0.18 vs. 7.21±0.17; p=0.001) but similar rates of initial lactate (7.92±3.87 mmol/l vs. 11.14±16.40 mmol/l; p=0.072). Survival rates differed between both groups (34.4% vs. 54.3%; p=0.038) with better survival rates in OHCA patients with hyperoxia at hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS Currently, different criteria are used to define hyperoxia following OHCA, but if the negative effects of hyperoxia in OHCA patients are a cumulative effect over time, hyperoxia < 60 min after hospital admission as investigated in this study would be equivalent to a short period of hyperoxia. It may be that the positive effect of buffering metabolic acidosis early after cardiac arrest maintains the negative effects of hyperoxia in general.

Earliest Bedside Assessment of Hemodynamic Parameters and Cardiac Biomarkers: Their Role as Predictors of Adverse Outcome in Patients with Septic Shock.

BACKGROUND: Early assessment and aggressive hemodynamic treatment have been shown to increase the survival of patients in septic shock. Current and past sepsis guidelines recommend a resuscitation protocol including central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), urine output and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) for resuscitation within the first six hours. Currently, the established severity score systems like APACHE II score, SOFA score or SAPS II score predict the outcome of critically ill patients on the bases of variables obtained only after the first 24 hours. The present study aims to evaluate the risk of short-term mortality for patients with septic shock by the earliest possible assessment of hemodynamic parameters and cardiac biomarkers as well as their role for the prediction of the adverse outcome. METHODS: 52 consecutive patients treated for septic shock in the intensive care unit of one centre (Marien Hospital Herne, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany) were prospectively enrolled in this study. Hemodynamic parameters (MAP, CVP, ScvO2, left ventricular ejection fraction, Hematocrit) and cardiac biomarkers (Troponin I) at the ICU admission were evaluated in regard to their influence on mortality. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality within 28 days after the admission. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients (31 male, 21 female) with a mean age of 71.4±8.5 years and a mean APACHE II score of 37.0±7.6 were enrolled in the study. 28 patients reached the primary endpoint (mortality 54%). Patients presenting with hypotension (MAP <65 mmHg) at ICU admission had significantly higher rates of 28-day mortality as compared with the group of patients without hypotension (28-day mortality rate 74 % vs. 32 %, p<0.01). Furthermore, the patients in the hypotension present group had significantly higher lactate concentration (p=0.002), higher serum creatinin (p=0.04), higher NTproBNP (p=0.03) and after the first 24 hours higher APACHE II scores (p=0.04). A MAP <65 mmHg was the only hemodynamic parameter significantly predicting the primary endpoint (OR: 4.1, CI: 1.1 - 14.8, p=0.008), whereas the remaining hemodynamic variables CVP, ScvO2, Hematocrit, Troponin I and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) seemed to have no influence on survival. Besides, non-survivors had a significantly higher age (74.1±9.0 vs. 68.4±6.9, p=0.01). If hypotension coincided with an age ≥72 years, the 28-day mortality rate escalated to 88%. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we identified a risk group with an exceedingly high mortality rate: the patients with an age ≥72 years and presenting with hypotension (MAP <65 mmHg). These data can be easily obtained at the time of the very first patient contact. As a result, an aggressive and a more effective treatment can be initiated within the first minutes of the primary care, possibly reducing organ failure and short-term mortality in this risk group.

Using vascular closure devices following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?

OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND: Despite a generally broad use of vascular closure devices (VCDs), it remains unclear whether they can also be used in victims from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH). METHODS: All victims from OHCA who received immediate coronary angiography after OHCA between January 1(st) 2008 and December 31(st) 2013 were included in this study. The operator decided to either use a VCD (Angio-Seal™) or manual compression for femoral artery puncture. The decision to induce MTH was based on the clinical circumstances. RESULTS: 76 patients were included in this study, 46 (60.5%) men and 30 (39.5%) women with a mean age of 64.2 ± 12.8 years. VCDs were used in 26 patients (34.2%), and 48 patients (63.2%) were treated with MTH. While there were significantly more overall vascular complications in the group of patients treated with MTH (12.5% versus 0.0%; p=0.05), vascular complications were similar between patients with VCD or manual compression, regardless of whether or not they were treated with MTH. CONCLUSION: In our study, the overall rate of vascular complications related to coronary angiography was higher in patients treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia, but was not affected by the application of a vascular closure device. Therefore, our data suggest that the use of VCDs in victims from OHCA might be feasible and safe in patients treated with MTH as well, at least if the decision to use them is individually carefully determined.

Determinants of right ventricular muscle mass in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: impact of left ventricular muscle mass and pulmonary hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Although chronic pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular (RV) function carry important functional and prognostic implications in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), little information on RV muscle mass (RVMM) and its determinants has been published. METHODS: Our study comprised thirty-five consecutive patients with IDC, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction<40% and NYHA class≥2. Hemodynamic data and parameters on LV and RV geometry were derived from right heart catheterisation and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: RVMM was normalized to body size using a common linear, body surface area based approach (RVMMI) and by an allometric index (RVMM-AI) incorporating adjustment for age, height and weight. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that pulmonary artery pressure and left ventricular muscle mass were independent predictors of RVMM-AI. The interventricular mass ratio of RV and LV mass (IVRM) was closely related to RVMM (r=0.79, p<0.001) and total muscle mass (r=0.39, p<0.02). However, there was no significant relationship between LVMM and IVMR (r=0.17, p=0.32). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that an increase in RV mass in IDC may be explained by two mechanisms: First, as a consequence of the myopathic process itself resulting in a balanced hypertrophy of both ventricles. Second, due to the chamber specific burden of pulmonary artery pressure rise, resulting in unbalanced RV hypertrophy.

[Gustav Mahler: tragic life, mysterious illness, early death : Could intensive care medicine have saved him today?] / Gustav Mahler: tragisches Leben, rätselhafte Erkrankung, früher Tod : Hätte die Intensivmedizin ihn heute retten können?

BACKGROUND: Gustav Mahler was a composer of the late Romantic period, one of the most famous conductors of his time and, as opera director, one of the most important reformers of musical theatre. Mahler's life, illnesses, death and dying are little or not at all known to many. OBJECTIVES: Which illnesses determined Mahler's life? Could his early death have been avoided? From today's point of view, could modern intensive care medicine have helped him? MATERIAL AND METHODS: A detailed analysis of Mahler's diseases was performed using scientific databases (medline, pubmed). All published articles were examined in detail. RESULTS: Gustav Mahler was born in 1860 in Kalischt (Bohemia) and learned to play the accordion and piano at an early age. He studied music at the Vienna Conservatory from 1875 and completed his composition studies in 1878. Kapellmeister positions followed in several cities, from 1887 at the Vienna Court Opera and from 1908 at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Mahler suffered from many illnesses, especially tonsillitis and haemorrhoids. In 1907 he was diagnosed with a mitral valve defect, in 1911 he developed bacterial endocarditis caused by streptococci, as a result of which Mahler died in Vienna in 1911. His life was marked by personal and health tragedies. DISCUSSION: Mahler was an outstanding personality who left behind an extensive oeuvre. Among the compositional highlights are his 10 symphonies and the song compositions. Recurrent streptococcal infections led to mitral valve disease and endocarditis, the consequences of which caused Mahler's untimely death. Today's modern cardiology and intensive care medicine could have prolonged his life, but unfortunately this was not possible at the time when he was diagnosed with endocarditis.

[Max Reger and his early death: could it have been avoided? : Would he have lived longer with adequate intensive care?] / Max Reger und sein früher Tod: Wäre er vermeidbar gewesen? : Hätte er bei adäquater Intensivtherapie länger gelebt?

BACKGROUND: Max Reger was an organist, university teacher and composer whose life, illnesses, death and dying are not or hardly known to many. OBJECTIVES: Which illnesses determined Reger's life and did his lifestyle and illnesses influence his compositional work? Could his early death have been avoided? From today's point of view, could modern intensive care medicine have helped him? MATERIAL AND METHODS: A detailed analysis of Reger's diseases was performed using scientific databases (medline, pubmed). All published articles were evaluated and examined in detail. RESULTS: Max Reger was born in Brand in 1873 and received early lessons in violin, piano and organ playing. From 1890 he studied at the conservatory in Sondershausen, later at the conservatory in Wiesbaden. In 1901 he moved to Munich, and in 1907 to Leipzig, where he became university director and professor at the conservatory. Four years later he took over the court chapel in Meiningen, but ended this activity again in 1914. A year later he moved to Jena and wrote his late works in the "Jenaish style". Reger suffered from many illnesses, especially bipolar disorder with manic and depressive phases. He had metabolic syndrome with arterial hypertension, was overweight and smoked incredibly heavily. Overeating ("binge eating" syndrome) and polydipsia were other prominent findings. Reger's life was characterized by alcohol abuse, often aggravated by professional and/or human crises. In 1916 Reger died suddenly and unexpectedly in Leipzig of cardiovascular failure. DISCUSSION: Reger was an outstanding personality who left behind an extensive oeuvre. Among the highlights of Max Reger's oeuvre are his chorale fantasies such as on "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott" (op. 27) or also the "Fantasia and Fugue on B A C H" (op. 46), but other compositions such as the Mozart Variations (op. 132) and the Clarinet Quintet (op. 146) are also world-famous. His lifestyle certainly favored coronary heart disease, the consequences of which caused Reger's sudden, unexpected and much too early death. Today's modern intensive care medicine could probably have prolonged his life.

[Effects of classical or heavy metal music in humans and animals: implications for intensive care medicine]. / Effekte von klassischer Musik oder von Heavy Metal bei Mensch und Tier: Implikationen für die Intensivmedizin.

BACKGROUND: The importance of music in intensive care medicine is still controversial and the mechanisms of music are unclear. It is important whether different music styles (classical music [CM], Heavy Metal [HM] show measurable effects on blood pressure (BP) or heart rate (HR) in humans or not. It is also unclear whether behavioral patterns are influenced by music (CM, HM) in animals. METHODS: We studied the influence of CM (Bach, Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068) and HM (Band Disturbed: Indestructible) compared to a control group (CO) without music exposure in 120 healthy subjects (60 study subjects, 60 control subjects) and 36 young pigs (18 Pietrains, 18 Wiesenauer Minipigs) according to an identical study protocol (21 minutes of music exposure (CM, HM) or 21 minutes of no music (C0). RESULTS: We were able to clearly demonstrate in 36 pigs that CM led to significantly more activity behavior than HM or CO (p<0,01). HM caused significantly more stress behavior than CM or CO (p<0,01). In humans, there was a decrease in BPsyst, BPdiast or HR (beats per minute [bpm]) among CM: decrease BPsyst -7,5±9,1 mm Hg, BPdiast -4,9±7,5 mm Hg, HR -7,2±10,2 bpm. This was observed less frequently in HM: BPsyst -3,6±7,1 mm Hg, BPdiast -2,7±6,9 mm Hg, HR -5,9±9,0 bpm. The influence of BP and HR was significantly lower in CO compared to music: BPsyst -2,3±7,2 mm Hg, BPdiast -2,0±7,3 mm Hg, HR -5,8±12,3 bpm. CONCLUSIONS: BP and HR in humans and behavioral patterns in animals are clearly influenced by music. CM leads more frequently to activity behavior in animals and to lower BP and HR in humans compared to HM or CO. In both animal breeds, stress behavior was observed more frequently in HM compared to CM or CO. Therefore, music may play a role in intensive care medicine.

[History of surgical treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in Germany : Surgical treatment of ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia, especially pre-excitation syndromes (WPW)]. / Geschichte der chirurgischen Behandlung von Herzrhythmusstörungen in Deutschland : Chirurgische Therapie ventrikulärer Tachykardien sowie supraventrikulärer Tachykardien, insbesondere Präexzitationssyndromen (WPW).

The history of surgical treatment of ventricular tachycardias (VT) is short, lasting from 1978 until 1993. "Indirect procedures" with infarct scar resection were performed without electrophysiologic studies, whereas "direct procedures" consisted of either complete endocardial incisions ("encircling endocardial ventriculotomy") or large endocardial resections ("endocardial peel-off" technique) after precise epicardial and endocardial mapping procedures. In Germany, the first to report on intra-operative electrophysiologic mapping for VT treatment were Ostermeyer, Breithardt and Seipel in 1979. In 1981, the Hannover group (Frank, Klein) published their first results of surgical treatment of VT. In 1984, Ostermeyer et al. demonstrated that a partial endocardial incision resulted in more beneficial results with less myocardial damage (8% versus 46%) than applying a complete encircling incision. In 1987, the Düsseldorf group reported treatment results of 93 patients. After 5 years, 77% had no VT recurrence, while total mortality after 1 year was 11% and after 5 years 30%. In 1992, the Hannover group reported results of 147 patients after endocardial resection for VT. Total mortality after 3 years was 27%; recurrence of VT events occurred in 18% of the surviving cohort.The history of surgical procedures for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), in particular Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, is even shorter than that of surgery for VT. As early as 1969, Sealy, Gallagher and Cox reported the first cases of surgical intervention for WPW syndrome via endocardial access in cardioplegic arrest. In 1984, Guiraudon and Klein reported on a new procedure with epicardial access to the accessory bundle without cardioplegia in laterally localised conduction pathways. In Germany, too, the groups in Düsseldorf (Ostermeyer, Seipel, Breithardt, Borggrefe) from 1980 and the Hannover group (Frank, Klein and Kallfelz) from 1981 performed surgical procedures for WPW syndrome. In 1987, Borggrefe reported on 18 patients with WPW syndrome and atrial fibrillation who had undergone surgery. After 2 years, 14 of 18 patients had no recurrences of tachycardia; in 1989, Frank, Klein and Kallfelz (Hannover) reported on 10 children (2-14 years) operated on using the cryoablation technique. Between 1984 and 1992, a total of 120 patients with SVT, mostly WPW syndrome, were operated on in Hannover; after 42 months, 12 patients had a recurrence of SVT. Two patients died during the reoperation.

[Short history of the DC-Catheter-Ablation]. / Kurze Geschichte der Katheterablation mit DC-Schocks.

Direct current (DC) catheter ablation in 5 patients aiming to interrupt rapid atrioventricular (AV) conduction with atrial fibrillation and subsequent pacemaker implantation was first published by M. M. Scheinman et al. (San Francisco, CA, USA) in 1982. In Germany, L. Seipel, G. Breithardt, and M. Borggrefe reported their first experience with DC catheter ablation in 1984, followed by the group in Bonn (M. Manz and B. Lüderitz) in 1985. The first international DC catheter ablation registry, which also included four German centers, reported DC catheter ablation results of 127 patients in 24 centers in 1984. Complete AV block was achieved in 71% patients. In 1992, the Hannover group (H­J. Trappe, H. Klein and J. Huang) reported results of DC catheter ablation of AV conduction performed between 1983 and 1990 in 100 patients (86% with rapid atrial fibrillation, 14% with AV-node reentry tachycardias). The first successful DC catheter ablation in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome was reported in 1985 by F. Morady et al. (San Francisco, CA, USA). In 1987, M. Borggrefe et al. were the first to report a switch from DC catheter ablation to a high-frequency (HF) catheter ablation procedure in a patient with WPW syndrome. The use of DC catheter ablation to treat ventricular tachycardia (VT) was described by G. O. Hartzler (Kansas City, MO, USA) in 3 patients in 1983. M. Borggrefe et al. (1989) reported on 24 patients who underwent DC catheter ablation for VT. Of those, 17 patients did not have VT recurrence within the following 14 months. In 1994, the Hannover group (H-J Trappe, H. Klein) published their 5­year long-term results of DC catheter ablation of VT in 51 patients. VT recurrence occurred in 57% patients and overall mortality was also high (16%). A comparison of DC catheter ablation with HF catheter ablation for recurrent VT was reported in 1994 by G. Gonska et al. (Göttingen, Germany). After 2 years follow-up, success rates were not found to be significantly different.

[Anton Bruckner: the Linz cathedral organist, university teacher, symphonic musician : Could modern intensive care medicine have helped him and his illnesses?] / Anton Bruckner: Linzer Domorganist, Hochschullehrer, Symphoniker : Hätte die moderne Intensivmedizin ihm und seinen Erkrankungen helfen können?

BACKGROUND: Anton Bruckner was a famous cathedral organist, university teacher, and symphonic composer, but his life, illnesses, death and dying are little or not known to many. OBJECTIVES: Which illnesses determined Bruckner's life and did lifestyle and illnesses influence his compositional work? From today's perspective, could modern intensive care medicine have helped him? MATERIALS AND METHODS: A detailed analysis of Bruckner's diseases was carried out using the scientific databases PubMed® and MEDLINE®. All published articles were evaluated and examined in detail. In addition, data from a concert tour of the author to Linz and the St. Florian Abbey Basilica were collected. RESULTS: Anton Bruckner was born on 4 September 1824 in Ansfelden, Austria. As a child he received piano and organ lessons. After his father's death, he devoted himself to playing the organ and became in 1855 cathedral organist in Linz. His further career took him to Vienna, where he became a professor at the conservatory and turned to composition. His symphonies, his masses, and his Te Deum are his most famous works. During the first 40 years of his life, Bruckner suffered from psychopathological illnesses, including depression, delusions of persecution, and neuroses. Later, he suffered from chronic heart failure with recurrent right and left heart decompensation up to the development of cardiac cachexia, possibly caused by dilated cardiomyopathy due to alcohol toxicity. He died on 11 October 1896 in Vienna. CONCLUSION: Bruckners life was marked by a wide variety of illnesses. His penchant for death and the dead was also striking. Modern medicine would probably have improved his quality of life through consequent heart failure therapy; an implantable automatic defibrillator with resynchronization therapy would probably have prolonged his life.

Clinical efficacy of left ventricular pacing vector programmability in cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator patients for management of phrenic nerve stimulation and/or elevated left ventricular pacing thresholds: insights from the Efface Phrenic Stim study.

AIMS: Elevated left ventricular (LV) pacing thresholds or phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS) might be possible reasons for absence of continuous and effective biventricular stimulation. This study investigated the benefit and clinical efficacy of the ability to choose one out of three different LV pacing vectors for the management of suboptimal LV pacing thresholds and PNS. METHODS AND RESULTS: This prospective, observational multicentre study enrolled 132 patients (Pts) implanted with a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator, that offers three LV pacing vectors: (i) Bipolar; (ii) LVtip ↔ RVcoil; (iii) LVring ↔ RVcoil (RV = right ventricular). Left ventricular pacing thresholds and PNS thresholds were obtained in sitting and left lateral body position for all programmable LV pacing vectors at hospital discharge and follow up (FU). In 97%, a bipolar transvenous LV lead was successfully implanted. In 87% of Pts at least one acceptable pacing vector could be identified that provides good pacing threshold (≤ 2.5 V at 5 ms) and acceptable margin to PNS (≥ 2:1). This is an increase of 18% compared with conventional bipolar systems (74%) with two LV vectors and of 25% compared with unipolar systems (70%). The LVtip ↔ RVcoil vector provided the best LV pacing thresholds, but the highest rate of PNS. CONCLUSIONS: The programmability of LV pacing vectors is a powerful feature to avoid PNS and obtain acceptable LV pacing thresholds. In order to retain reprogramming options for LV vectors during FU, LV pacing leads with at least two electrodes should be chosen whenever possible.

First prospective, multi-centre clinical experience with a novel left ventricular quadripolar lead.

AIMS: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is sometimes complicated by elevated pacing thresholds and phrenic nerve stimulation (PNS), both of which may require that the coronary sinus lead be repositioned. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a novel quadripolar electrode lead and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator (CRT-D) device that enables electrical repositioning, potentially obviating a lead reposition procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients indicated for CRT were enrolled and received a quadripolar electrode lead and CRT-D device (Quartetmodel 1458Q and Promote Q; St Jude Medical, Sylmar, CA, USA). Electrical data, and the presence of PNS during pacing from each left ventricular (LV) configuration, were documented at pre-hospital discharge and at 1 month. Seventy-five patients were enrolled and 71 were successfully implanted with a Quartetlead. Electrical measurements were stable over the follow-up period. Ninety-seven per cent (64 of 66) of patients had one or more programmable configurations with a threshold < 2.5 V and no PNS vs. 86% (57 of 66) if only conventional bipolar configurations were considered. Physicians were able to use the increased programming options to manage threshold changes and PNS. CONCLUSION: The new quadripolar electrode LV lead provides more programming options to address common problems faced when managing CRT patients. Electrical measurements from new vectors are comparable with conventional configurations. Furthermore, 11% of patients in the study suffered PNS on all conventional bipolar vectors.

[Effects of music in intensive care medicine]. / Effekte von Musik in der Intensivmedizin.

Music not only plays an important role in everyone's life, it also has effects on heart rate, blood pressure and other physiological parameters. Although music can be interpreted as a subjective feeling, studies have shown that objective parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure and other physiological parameters are clearly influenced by music in various circumstances. Meanwhile, music is used in many medical disciplines, including the area of intensive care medicine. Pain, stress and fear in particular can be influenced positively, but music also plays a major role in patients with delirium and during weaning or surgical interventions. According to many available reports and good prospective studies, a positive effect of music has been observed in many medical disciplines and also in intensive care. Also in postoperative patients, whether from visceral surgery, cardiac surgery, orthopaedics or gynecology, to name just a few, positive effects of music with regard to the parameters pain, stress and anxiety have been demonstrated. Even if many physiological and pathophysiological relationships between the effects of music are not explained in detail, the cerebral processing of different impulses is decisive for the effects of music. The most benefit on health is visible with classic music, particularly in compositions of Bach, Mozart or Italian composers.

Segment-orientated analysis of two-dimensional strain and strain rate as assessed by velocity vector imaging in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

AIMS: Strain rate imaging techniques have been proposed for the detection of ischemic or viable myocardium in coronary artery disease, which is still a challenge in clinical cardiology. This retrospective comparative study analyzed regional left ventricular function and scaring with two-dimensional strain (2DS) in the first 4 to 10 days after acute anterior myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 32 AMI patients with an LAD occlusion and successful reperfusion. The assessment of peak systolic 2DS and peak systolic strain rate (SR) was performed segment-oriented with the angle-independent speckle tracking algorithm Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI). The infarcted, adjacent and non-infarcted segments were revealed by late enhancement MRI (LE-MRI), which was used as reference for the comparison with 2DS. The infarcted segments showed a significant decrease of tissue velocities, 2DS and SR in comparison to the non-affected segments. CONCLUSION: 2DS and SR as assessed by VVI seem to be a suitable approach for echocardiographic quantification of global and regional myocardial function as well as a promising tool for multimodal risk stratification after anterior AMI.

Dickkopf-3 in the prediction of contrast media induced acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Dickkopf-3 (DKK3) has recently been discovered as a urinary biomarker for the prediction of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. This finding needs to be confirmed for AKI in other clinical settings. The present study investigates whether DKK3 can predict contrast-induced AKI (CI-AKI). METHODS: We performed a prospective study in 490 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Primary endpoint was an increase in serum creatinine concentration ≥ 0.3 mg/dl within 72 h after the procedure. DKK3 was assessed < 24 h before coronary angiography. Predictive accuracy was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: CI-AKI was observed in 30 (6.1%) patients, of whom 27 corresponded to stage I and 3 to stage II according to the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. Subjects who developed CI-AKI had a 3.8-fold higher urinary DKK3/creatinine ratio than those without CI-AKI (7.5 pg/mg [interquartile range [IQR] 1.2-1392.0] vs. 2.0 pg/mg [IQR 0.9-174.0]; p = 0.047). ROC analysis revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.61. Among subjects without clinically overt chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] > 60 ml/min, urinary albumin creatinine ratio < 30 mg/g), the DKK3/creatinine ratio was 5.4-fold higher in those with subsequent CI-AKI (7.5 pg/mg [IQR 0.9-590.1] vs. 1.38 pg/mg [IQR 0.8-51.0]; p = 0.007; AUC 0.62). Coronary angiography was associated with a 43 times increase in the urinary DKK3/creatinine ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary DKK3 is an independent predictor of CI-AKI even in the absence of overt chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study thereby expands the findings on DKK3 in the prediction of postoperative loss of kidney function to other entities of AKI.